How Homeowners Can Determine If They Need Drain Cleaning
Without a pair of fancy x-ray glasses allowing homeowners to see their plumbing system, it can be hard to tell whether the sewer drain is clogged. Sometimes, the problem can simply be an issue with a drain, in which case the fix is different.
Luckily, x-ray glasses aren’t truly necessary for homeowners to determine whether they’re dealing with a clogged sewer line. There are three questions homeowners can ask to unravel the plumbing mystery. Read on to find out what they are.
Are The Drains Talking?
Noisy drains can be a sign of a clogged sewer line. Usually, this “talking” comes in the form of gurgles as the wastewater drains down. To be clear, gurgling from any drain is not normal — it’s a sign of a clog in the drain or the vent pipe.
Either way, it must be addressed before becoming more of a problem. The gurgling noise is created when air struggles to escape through some sort of clog somewhere in the drain. Gurgling isn’t normal because the drains in a home are all connected to a vent that keeps this from happening when everything is running as it should.
If the gurgling is coming from only one drain, the problem can be remedied by drain cleaning with a drain snake or hydro-jetting. But if the noise comes from more than one drain — or if running water down one drain causes gurgling in another — it’s probably a clogged sewer line.
Are There Wastewater Backups?
There are few things less pleasant than a sewage backup. This is when wastewater comes back up through the drain, often pooling in bathtubs or showers. It is usually accompanied by awful smells—and the water isn’t too pretty, either.
Once again, this can be caused by a single clogged drain. But if multiple drains are affected, the sewer line is likely clogged. Multiple drains don’t have to experience backups for this to be true. Other drains can simply be gurgling or draining water slowly. The bottom line: if multiple drains are having issues, it’s probably a sewer line clog.
Are They Slow to Drain?
The final question homeowners should ask themselves is whether their drains are sluggish. Sometimes, this can happen gradually, making it harder to identify. After all, most sewer line clogs don’t happen all at once.
They happen over time, thanks to a slowly building blockage or even a tree root making its way into the pipe. Still, no matter how slowly it happens, there will be times when things get bad enough for homeowners to notice.
Slow drains happen when the sewer line clog isn’t total. Some of the wastewater gets past the clog, but it doesn’t happen fast. However, when a sewer line repair or cleaning doesn’t address slow drains, they usually come to a standstill.
At this point, the drains shouldn’t be used until the sewer line is cleaned or repaired by a professional plumbing company.
About Ira Hansen and Sons Plumbing
Ira Hansen and Sons Plumbing has proudly served Reno, NV, since 1986. They stand by their word and deliver quality workmanship as a family-owned and operated business. They provide honest, upfront service at competitive prices. Contact them today for a quality drain cleaning service in Reno, NV.
